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French And Indian War
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'''The French and Indian War''' is the common
United States American name for the decisive nine-year conflict (1754–1763) in
North America between the
Kingdom of Great Britain and its North American Colonies against
France and its North American Colonies, which was one of the theatres of the
Seven Years' War. The war resulted in France's loss of all its possessions in North America, except for some Caribbean islands and
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, two small islands off
Newfoundland. The British acquired
Canada, while
Spain gained
Louisiana in compensation for its loss of
Florida to the British. It is often confused that the name means that the French and the Indians were enemies, but they were actually allies.
Nomenclature for the North American conflict
*'''French and Indian War''' in the
U.S.
*'''The Seven Years' War''' in
France,
Britain and
Canada
*'''The British Conquest''' or '''War of the Conquest''' in
Quebec
Although scholars, such as Fred Anderson, generally refer to all facets of the conflict as the ''Seven Years' War,'' the conflict is popularly referred to as the ''French and Indian War'' in the United States, as it is seen from the perspective of British American forces fighting against French forces and their
Algonquin and
Huron allies in North America. (British and British American forces had allied with the
Iroquois.) In
Britain, France, and
Canada, the designation ''French and Indian War'' is nearly unknown:
English Canada, France, and Britain typically refer to the war as the
Seven Years' War (1756–1763), dating the war not from the start of actual fighting in North America, but rather from the official declaration of war in Europe.
French Canadians refer to it both as ''la Guerre des sept ans'' and the ''Guerre de la conquête'' (War of the Conquest) since it is the war in which
Canada, New France Canada was conquered by the British and became part of the
British Empire. Because of
Quebec provincial regulations on Canada-Quebec
History curriculum in
high school ,
Anglo-Quebecers also refer to it as ''The War of the Conquest''. In
Britain, it is simply regarded as the most important theatre of the Seven Years' War.
Causes
*Using
trading posts and
forts, both the
British and the
French claimed the vast territory between the
Appalachians and the
Mississippi river, from the
Great Lakes to the
Gulf of Mexico.
*Both European countries ignored
Native American claims to the land in order to pursue their
Fur trade beaver pelt economies.
*The British colonists were offended by the
papal (the Pope's) influence in North America (New France was administered by French governors and
Catholic Church hierarchy Roman Catholic hierachy). The British were largely
Protestant and felt their standard of living was far superior to the Catholics. In 2008, for its 400th anniversary,
Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict will visit
Quebec City in recognition of the colony's significant contributions to Catholicism in North America.
*
Newfoundland's
Grand Banks were fertile fishing grounds and was coveted by both sides. The conclusion of this war would see France keeping only the islands of
Saint Pierre and Miquelon, allowing them access to the
Grand Banks to this day.
Overview
The French and Indian War, unlike the others, began on North American soil and then spread to
Europe, where Britain and France continued fighting. Britain officially declared war on France in 1756, marking the beginnings of the Seven Years' War in Europe.
Native Americans in the United States Native Americans fought for both sides but primarily alongside the French. The first major event was in 1754. Major
George Washington, then twenty-one years of age, was sent to negotiate boundaries with the French, who did not give up their forts. Washington led a group of Virginian (colonial) troops to confront the French at
Fort Duquesne (present day
Pittsburgh). Washington stumbled upon the French, and in the ensuing skirmish, a French Officer (de Jumonville) was killed, news of which would certainly provoke a strong French response. Washington pulled back a few miles and established
Fort Necessity National Battlefield Fort Necessity. The French forced Washington and his men to retreat. Meanwhile, the
Albany Congress was taking place as means to discuss further action.
Edward Braddock led a campaign against the French in 1755; Washington was among the British and colonial troops. Braddock employed European tactics: bold, linear marches and firing formations. This led to disaster at
Braddock expedition the Monongahela, where the French and natives, though heavily outmanned and outgunned (the British had a heavy cannon), used superior tactics to gun down and rout the British. Braddock was killed; Washington, despite four close calls, escaped unharmed and led the survivors in retreat. When he took off his jacket, it had four bullet holes in it. Major French victories continued at
Battle of Fort William Henry Fort William Henry,
Battle of Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne, and
Battle of Carillon Carillon, where
Louis-Joseph de Montcalm Montcalm famously defeated five times his number.
1756 brought with it
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham William Pitt as the leader of Great Britain. His leadership, and France's continued neglect of the North-American theatre, turned the tide in favor of the British. The French were driven from many frontier posts such as
Battle of Fort Niagara Fort Niagara, and the key
Fortress Louisbourg fell to the British. In 1759, the
Battle of the Plains of Abraham gave
Quebec City to the British, who had to withstand a siege there after the
Battle of Sainte-Foy a year later. In September of 1760,
Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal, the
Governor of New France King's Governor of New France, negotiated a surrender with British General
Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst Jeffrey Amherst. General Amherst granted Vaudreuil's request that any French residents who chose to remain in the colony would be given freedom to continue worshiping in their
Roman Catholic tradition, continued ownership of their property, and the right to remain undisturbed in their homes. The British provided medical treatment for the sick and wounded French soldiers and
French Army French regular troops were returned to France aboard British ships with an agreement that they were not to serve again in the present war.
Outcome
Image:French attack St. John's Newfoundland 1762.jpg right|thumb|300px|The descent of the French on St. John's, Newfoundland, 1762
The war officially ended with the signing of the
Treaty of Paris (1763) Treaty of Paris on
February 10,
1763. The treaty resulted in France's loss of all its possessions in North America (all of Canada was ceded to Britain) except
Saint Pierre and Miquelon, two small islands off
Newfoundland. France also kept the Caribbean islands of
Guadeloupe and
Martinique because of their rich
sugar crops and the ease with which it could be controlled. Spain gained
Louisiana (New France) Louisiana in compensation for its loss of
Florida to the British.
One result of the war was that Britain gained control of a strip of territory along the
St. Lawrence River that now forms part of the
Province of Quebec with approximately 54,000 French-speaking,
Roman Catholic population. Near the beginning of the war, in 1755, the British had expelled French-speaking populations in
Acadia to Louisiana, creating the
Cajun population, but this would not be repeated in 1763.
The European theater of the war was settled by the
Treaty of Hubertusburg on February 15, 1763.
Long term
The decisive result of the war meant that it was the last of the
French and Indian Wars. The most immediate outcome of the war was the end of France’s power in the Americas, having only four islands left to them. Another important consequence was that the British colonists felt empowered having defended their own land, in addition to obtaining more. They felt as if all the land from the Atlantic to the Mississippi was theirs to live on. However, Britain disallowed the colonists from living on that land by the
British Royal Proclamation of 1763.
Also, the
Albany Congress was the first time the colonists from multiple colonies had officially met for any reason. Thoughts of unity were starting to make their appearance, eventually leading to the
Revolutionary War. At the same time, George Washington was gaining experience, learning British tactics and their weaknesses.
Britain was fighting wars in Europe and the Americas simultaneously; this put it into fiscal straits. There were great expenses associated with shipping infantry, artillery, and supplies across the ocean to America. To help pay these expenses, Britain would turn to the economic theory of
Mercantilism and begin to tax the colonies heavily to have them pay for their defenses. This created more tension and disagreement between the colonies and the mother country. This period marks the end of what was known as Britain's policy of salutary neglect in regard to America, another step on the road to Revolution.
Trivia
*The
Battle of Fort Necessity, one of the opening engagements of the war, marked the first and only instance of
George Washington surrendering in battle.
*
Fort Ticonderoga was built by the French after a battle near
Lake George (New York) Lake George,
New York.
*The novel and movie ''
The Last of the Mohicans'' is set around the events of the
Battle of Fort William Henry
*The final battle of the war in North America was the
Signal Hill, Newfoundland and Labrador Battle of Signal Hill, in which the French surrendered
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's to the British under the command of Colonel William Amherst.
Present day locations of battles and expeditions
'''
United States'''
*
Pennsylvania
**
Battle of Jumonville Glen (
May 28,
1754)
**
Battle of Fort Necessity, aka the
Battle of Great Meadows (
July 3,
1754)
**
Braddock Expedition (Battle of the Monongahela aka Battle of the Wilderness) (
July 9,
1755)
**
Kittanning Expedition (climax
September 8,
1756)
**
Battle of Fort Duquesne (
September 14,
1758)
**
Battle of Fort Ligonier (
October 12,
1758)
**
John Forbes (General) Forbes Expedition (climax
November 25,
1758)
*
New York state New York
**
Battle of Lake George (1755)
**
Battle of Fort Oswego (August, 1756)
**
Rogers' Rangers Battle on Snowshoes (
January 21,
1757)
**
Hague, New York Battle of Sabbath Day Point (
July 26,
1757)
**
Battle of Fort William Henry (
August 9,
1757)
**
Battle of Carillon (
July 8,
1758)
**
Battle of Ticonderoga (1759)
**
Battle of Fort Niagara (1759)
**
Battle of the Thousand Islands, 16-25 August, 1760
*
West Virginia
**
Battle of Great Cacapon (
April 18,
1756)
'''
Canada'''
*
New Brunswick
**
Battle of Fort Beauséjour (
June 16,
1755)
*
Nova Scotia
**
Battle of Louisburg (
July 27,
1758)
*
Ontario
**
Battle of Fort Frontenac (August, 1758)
**
Battle of the Thousand Islands, 16-25 August, 1760
*
Quebec
**
Battle of Beauport (
July 31,
1759)
**
Battle of the Plains of Abraham (
September 13,
1759)
**
Battle of Sainte-Foy (
April 28,
1760)
**
Siege of Montreal (September 8, 1760)
*
Newfoundland
**
Signal Hill, Newfoundland and Labrador Battle of Signal Hill (1762)
'''Unknown Location'''
*
Battle of the Sumee Tribe (
October 27,
1758)
European conflicts and their North American battles
*'''
Nine Years War War of the League of Augsbergh (1688-1697)'''
**
King William's War (1689-1697)
*'''
War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713)'''
**
Queen Anne's War (1702-1713)
*'''
War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)'''
**
King George's War (1744-1748)
*'''
Seven Years' War (1756-1763)'''
**''French and Indian War (1754-1763)''
The French and Indian War was the last of
French and Indian Wars four major colonial wars between the British, the French, and their Native American allies. Of the four wars, the Seven Years' War resulted in the most significant territorial change.
Further reading
*Anderson, Fred. ''Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766''. New York: Knopf, 2000. ISBN 0375406425.
*Anderson, Fred. ''The War that Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War''. New York: Viking 2005. ISBN 0670034541. Released in conjunction with the 2006
PBS miniseries ''
The War that Made America.
*
Allan W. Eckert Eckert, Allan W. ''Wilderness Empire''. Bantam Books, 1994, originally published 1969. ISBN 0-553-26488-5. Second volume in a series of historical narratives, with emphasis on Sir William Johnson. Academic historians often regard Eckert's books, which are written in the style of novels, to be fiction.
*Fowler, W.M. ''Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754-1763''. New York: Walker, 2005. ISBN 0-8027-1411-0
*Jennings, Francis. ''Empire of Fortune: Crowns, Colonies, and Tribes in the Seven Years War in America''. New York: Norton, 1988. ISBN 0393306402.
*
Francis Parkman Parkman, Francis. ''
France and England in North America Montcalm and Wolfe: The French and Indian War''. Originally published 1884. New York: Da Capo, 1984. ISBN 0-306-81077-8.
See also
*
Great Upheaval
*
Military history
*
Rogers' Rangers
*
French and Indian Wars (article includes
King William's War,
Queen Anne's War,
King George's War, and the '''French and Indian War'''.)
*
Fort at Number 4
*
New Hampshire Provincial Regiment
External links
-
U-S-History.com: Background of the French and Indian War
-
French and Indian War Commemoration
-
Israel Putnam's Experiences in the French and Indian War
-
The War That Made America PBS site and [http://www.thewarthatmadeamerica.org/default.aspx?id=26 Links]
-
"Wilderness War on the Ohio," 2nd edition 2005, by Alan Fitzpatrick.
Category:French and Indian War *
Category:Conflicts in Canada
Category:History of North America
de:Franzosen- und Indianerkrieg
fr:Guerre de Sept Ans (Amérique du Nord)
ja:フレン�・インディアン戦争
ka:ფრ�ნგების� დ� ინდიელების 1754-1763 წლების �მი
nl:Franse en Indiaanse oorlog
[[pt:Guerra Franco-IndÃgena]
see
French and Indian War
This
:Category category contains articles about the
French and Indian War, the traditional American term for the
North American theater of the
Seven Years' War.
Category:Seven Years' War
Category:Native American wars
Category:American colonial wars
see
French and Indian War
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